Giant lipoma of the breast

Lipomas of the breast are usually small, benign neoplasms which can be treated by simple excision. Diagnosis of these masses, however, can be difficult because of the normal fatty composition of the breast. A number of radiological manoeuvres have been described for diagnosing deep lipomas in the breast, yet the clinical and radiographic identification of these masses remains challenging. We present a case of giant lipoma of the breast which was not appreciated on initial clinical and radiographic evaluation, and which was later found to comprise most of the mass of the breast. Following resection, the deformed breast was reconstructed using folded dermoglandular flaps from the areas expanded by the lipoma with excellent results. This case is an excellent illustration of the difficulties associated with diagnosis of these tumours and the reconstructive options available following excision.